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ARKADELPHIA, Ark. — Henderson State begins Great American Conference play this weekend at Clyde Berry Field with a three-game series against No. 13 Southern Arkansas. 

The Reddies will take on the Muleriders in a single game on Friday at 6 p.m. and an afternoon doubleheader on Saturday with first pitch set for 1 p.m.

REDDIES REPORT
- As a team, the Reddies (3-3) are hitting .262 and carry an impressive .413 on-base percentage into the conference opener. Junior infielder Joe Myers has paced Henderson offensively with a .357 average and an astronomical on-base percentage of .640. Newcomers Ryan Wieligman and Danny Mitchell Jr. have also had exciting starts to 2019 and are batting .333 and .308, respectively. Joseph Shepherd currently leads the Reddies with nine RBIs and carries a .423 on-base percentage. 

- The Henderson pitching staff has gotten off to a nice start, allowing just 41 hits in 51 innings while holding opponents to a .223 average at the plate. The early season ace for the Reddies has been right-hander Matthew Baker. Baker (1-0) has made two starts and picked up a win in his debut after giving the Reddies five scoreless innings and allowing just two baserunners against Union University. Baker tamed the No. 10 Delta State lineup in his most recent outing, allowing the Statesmen just two runs in six innings while striking out nine. He has compiled a 1.64 ERA in 11 innings, while striking out 16 and walking just one in the process.

- Sophomore Spencer Taack has been an early standout in the Reddies' bullpen. Against Northwest Missouri State, he entered in the top of the sixth inning with the score knotted at 6-6 and allowed just three baserunners in four innings of work while striking out five to get the win. Taack also threw a perfect inning on Tuesday night at UT-Tyler and has a perfect 0.00 ERA in five innings so far this year.

SCOUTING SOUTHERN ARKANSAS (4-3)
- Southern Arkansas comes into the weekend 4-3 overall and ranked No. 13 in the latest NCBWA Poll. The Muleriders went 2-2 last weekend at Clyde Berry Field in the Henderson State Invitational. SAU was selected as the preseason favorite to repeat as Great American Conference champions in 2019 after reaching the title game of the NCAA Central Regional last year.

- SAU finished 2018 with a 41-19 record and was 22-11 in conference play. After dropping the first game of the GAC Tournament, SAU scored 45 runs in four games, including 16 in the championship game, to blow out Oklahoma Baptist 16-3 and capture the GAC title. However, SAU will have to do without 2018 All-American Jacob Richardson, who took home GAC Player of the Year honors last season after hitting .374 with 13 home runs, 23 doubles, and 71 RBIs. SAU also lost the bulk of its pitching staff, which included GAC Pitcher of the Year Hunter Vasquez and All-GAC selections Kenneth Tabor, Eric White, and Jacob Stroder.

- The Muleriders are expecting big things from Dakota Wright and Austin Baker, who were both named to the Preseason NCBWA All-Central Region Second Team. In 2018, Wright hit .308 with 13 home runs, 14 doubles, and 62 RBIs while playing centerfield. Wright, the SAU second baseman, batted .340 and led the Muleriders with 53 runs scored. However, it has been underclassmen Cooper King and Brett McGee who have paced the SAU lineup in the early part of 2019. King is batting .478 and leads the team with 11 hits, while McGee has racked up a .417 average and seven RBIs. SAU's pitching staff has been led by Matt Kortendick, who has not given up a run in three appearances. Kortendick, who is 2-0, has allowed just seven baserunners in 11 total innings while striking out nine.